AN: Sorry for the short update.. It's mostly a filler-chapter, so it's not all drama all the time :) I hope ya'll like it anyway!
For everyone who has left a review - thank you so much! Keep 'em coming.
Enjoy :)


Nathan pulled out of Peyton's arms and walked over to the railing. Taking deep breaths he tried to calm himself.

Haley saw Nathan standing at the railing and got up. She took a bottle of water with her and walked over to him "Here, maybe this will help." Haley handed him the bottle. "I'm sorry, Nathan. About what happened to your wife."

"Everybody is, Haley. But that's not going to bring her back, is it?" Nathan said it before he knew it and saw the hurt look on Haley's face. He realised that he wasn't being fair to her "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that, it's just… Sorry."

"It's ok Nathan." Haley turned around and looked at the others; Peyton still sat on the same spot, holding her cup firmly with both hands, staring into nowhere. Lucas and Brooke were still sitting next to each other, talking quietly.

"Brooke?" Lucas cleared his throat. "Does he love you?"

Brooke looked up and faced Lucas "What?"

"Does he love you?" Lucas repeated his question "Does Chase love you?"

Brooke's mouth dropped "I really think that's none of your business," she said while she crossed her arms "But you're lucky I'm a unbelievably curious person, Lucas: Why do you want to know that?"

"Well, if he loves you, I mean, if he really loves you, don't you think he can forgive whatever you've done in the past?" Lucas looked at Brooke, while he kept playing with the cup he held in his hands.

"Would you?" Brooke pulled up her legs and wrapped her arms around them, resting her head on her knees. "If the girl you loved told you that everything your relationship is based on is a lie, would you still love her?"

Lucas shrugged "You've got a point there, I guess."

"Yeah. I know. And it sucks, but this is the only thing I could come up with. I've gotten rid of my past and Chase will never find out about it." Brooke closed her eyes and thought about Chase. He had been nothing but good to her and that made her feel even more guilty about what she'd done.

"Maybe the question isn't if Chase loves you, but if you love Chase." Peyton turned around so she faced both Brooke and Lucas.

"I didn't know we had an audience here." Brooke shot back at Peyton. She admired the woman, she really did, but sometimes it was best if people minded their own business.

"Yeah, well, maybe if you hadn't talked so loud.. But do you really want to argue about that, Brooke?" Peyton stood up slowly, noticing she was getting tired and walked over to where Lucas and Brooke sat. Peyton sat down as well and tried to catch her breath.

"Are you ok?" Lucas asked, with a concerned look in his eyes.

Peyton waved it off "I'm fine, just a little tired." She turned towards Brooke and took her hands "Do you want to live in a lie, Brooke? Do you really want to live every single day in guilt of not being honest to your husband?"

Brooke shrugged "No," and rubbed her eyes. Through her tears she saw that Nathan and Haley were listening to their conversation as well.

"That's what I meant, Brooke. If you really love him, you wouldn't do this to him," Peyton paused for a second and sighed "I think it's time for you to be honest with yourself, hon."

"And what gave you the right to just mess with people's relationships? Telling her to break up with him?" Haley pointed at Peyton while she walked over the group.

Peyton felt attacked by Haley "Hey, I didn't say that. I just said she had to be honest about why she is in this relationship."

Haley narrowed her eyes "Yeah, by telling her she doesn't love him. God." Haley threw her hands in the air.

"Hey!" Brooke stood up and looked at the other two women "I'm standing right here! So if you have something to say, just say it to my face."

Haley rubbed her forehead "I'm sorry, Brooke."

"Me too," Peyton looked at Brooke "It's just… I get carried away sometimes. I want to see people happy and it breaks my heart whenever I see someone who's not. Not that I think you're not happy," Peyton tried to think of a way to make this sound better, but couldn't think of anything "I'm sorry."

"It's ok," Brooke smiled "I guess it's been a while since there were people who cared about how I feel. I kinda like it."

"Same goes for me guys." Nathan joined the group "Thanks for listening to my story. It feels good to let it all out sometimes."

"Let's toast to that." Lucas said as he held up his cup "Here's to people who care."

"Cheers." Nathan, Haley, Brooke and Peyton all said at the same time.

"Now, let's hear why you guys are here." Brooke said while she pointed towards Lucas and Haley with her cup.